Heated diving suit

ABSTRACT

A DIVER&#39;&#39;S SUIT INCLUDING A TUBE NETWORK THROUGHOUT THE SUIT AND A HEATING SYSTEM EMPLOYING A HEATING UNIT TO HEAT A HEAT-CONDUCTING FLUID, SUCH AS WATER, WHICH IS THEN CIRCULATED THROUGH THE TUBE NETWORK TO WARM THE DIVER.

March 23, 1971 w 1 TEAGUE, JR 3,572,314

HEATED DIVING SUl'l Filed Sept. 5, 1968 fir 28 Fig.l

DISC

INVENTOR. Walter Dorwin Teogue, Jr.

1 Mm $394M A TTORNE YS United States Patent 3,572,314 HEATED DIVING SUIT Walter Dorwin Teague, Jr., Nyack, N.Y., assignor to Columbia Gas System Service Corporation, New York,

Filed Sept. 5, 1968, Ser. No. 757,683 Int. Cl. A61f 7/06 U.S. Cl. 126-210 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to diving suits and more in particular to diving suits which are heated to allow the diver to dive in low temperature water conditions.

An object of the present invention is to provide a heated diving suit for underwater diving operations. It is a further object of this invention to provide a diving suit which is heated by a self-contained heating unit and which does not require an umbilical cord connection with a surface power supply or the use of cumbersome and expensive batteries. It is a still further object of this invention to provide a heated diving suit wherein heating is carried out by circulating a heat-conducting fluid, such as water, through a tube network within the suit and wherein the fluid is warmed by a self-contained heating unit. A still further object of this invention is to provide a diving suit of the character described wherein the heating is carried out by a radiation process.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pressurized tank of combustible gas, such as propane, together with a control valve which admits the gas and sutficient oxygen to support combustion to the heater section of the heating unit in response to particular heating demands is controlled by a thermostat or by a constant-volume device so that the gas is admitted according to the number of B.t.u.s required to bring the diver up to a comfortable temperature. The heating unit is surrounded by an infrared, transparent, ceramic enclosure which separates the combustion process and the combustion chamber from a surrounding fluid medium. The fluid is heated and then circulated throughout a tube network in the divers suit and the combustion gases are exhausted over board through a check valve to prevent back flow when the heater is not being used.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic representation of a divers suit with a network of fluid carrying tubes therein which are heated by fluid warmed by a catalytic heating unit;

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the heating circuit of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the catalytic heating unit of the present invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a divers suit is provided with an interconnected network 12 of tubes therein, which completely encircles the suit, to carry a fluid, such as water, from an initial entry point 14 throughout the tube network and thence back to a water return point 16. A heating unit 18 is provided to heat the water and, thus, the water is heated, discharged at point 14 to flow through the tube network 12 to warm a diver in the suit, and then returns at 16 to be heated once again.

With reference also to FIGS. 2 and 3 as well, the heating unit 18 includes burner unit 20 which is mounted within an infrared, transparent, ceramic enclosure 22 so that heat generated by burner 20 passes by infrared radiation through the ceramic enclosure. The enclosure 22 is in turn mounted within a cylindrical housing 24 which is larger than the ceramic enclosure 22 thus providing an annular space 26 around the enclosure 22. The annular space 26 is filled with a heat conducting fluid, such as water, which, when the burner unit 20 is operating, is heated by infrared radiation and is in turn circulated through the tube network 12 in the divers suit, as will be explained more fully hereinbelow.

Fuel for the heater unit 20 is supplied from a pressurized tank 28 of gaseous fuel, for example propane, which is supplied through a line 30 and control valve 32 to the burner unit 20. Valve 32 functions in response to a control such as a thermostat 34 or by a constant-volume device so that the fuel is admitted according to the number of B.t.u.s required to bring the diver up to a comfortable temperature or, also, the system may proceed at a constant rate of fuel supply so that a uniform heating rate is always provided. In addition to the fuel, an oxidizer-sensitive control 36 is utilized to feed oxygen from the divers breathing supply tank 38 by means of a line 40 to the control valve 32 where it is admitted to the fuel supply in order to support combustion within the ceramic enclosure 22. The divers oxygen supply is regulated so that substantially a constant mass flow of oxygen is maintained regardless of the divers depth after the diver has reached a predetermined depth. Thus, a substantially constant flow of oxygen is provided according to the heating demand at the particular condition required.

As an alternative, a combination hydrogen-oxygen breathing supply can be used so that this supply may be used as both the divers breathing supply and also as the fuel for the burner unit. Thus, with this type of system the necessity for separate fuel tank is obviated.

After the fuel has been combusted within the ceramic enclosure 22, the products of combustion are exhausted through exhaust outlet 42 which includes a check Valve 44 to prevent back-flow when the heater is not being used.

The water which is warmed within the annular space 26 surrounding the burner is pumped through the tube network 12 by means of a small battery driven pump 46 which pumps the warmed water (at 14) into the main feedline 48 where it is then dispersed by means of the interconnected tube network throughout the divers suit. The water is returned to the burner (at 16) through the main return line 50 where it is again warmed. While the pump 46 has been described as being battery operated, it may also be actuated by the pressure of the divers breathing oxygen or by pressure from the fuel bottle or both, and, in the alternative, the pump may be eliminated and a counterflow water circulation device such as a thermo-syphon may be used.

It is thus seen that the apparatus of the present invention provides a convenient method to warm a divers body by circulating warmed water through a tube network in the divers suit. The heating unit is self-contained thus obviating the necessity for umbilical cords to the surface which restrict the divers sphere of movement. The apparatus is compact and easily carried by the diver while in the water and thus does not deter from the divers mobility while performing work functions beneath the water surface and provides a comparatively large amount of heat energy in a small space while utilizing relatively inexpensive and readily obtainable fuel.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a divers underwater suit including a network of interconnected tubing embedded in said suit and a heating unit adapted to heat a heat-conducting fluid and circulate said fluid through said tube network, said heating unit including a housing and an enclosed burner portion comprising a burner element and an enclosure therefor, said enclosure comprising a generally cylin drical member constructed of a transparent, ceramic material thereby to permit passage of infrared radiation from said burner element, said burner portion being spaced from a wall of said housing thereby defining a fluid heating cavity therein whereby fluid to be warmed is circulated to said cavity to be heated by infrared radiation and thence circulated through said tube network.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1 including means to circulate fluid heated in said heating unit throughout said tube network.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1 including means to admit a controlled supply of a pressurized combustible gas to said heating unit at a controlled rate thereby to support combustion in said heating unit.

4. In combination, a divers underwater suit including a network of interconnected tubing embedded in said suit and a heating unit adapted to heat a heat-conducting fluid and circulate said fluid through said tube network, said heating unit including a housing and an enclosed burner portion, said burner portion being spaced from a wall of said housing thereby defining a fluid heating cavity therein whereby fluid to be warmed is circulated to said cavity to be warmed by said burner portion and thence through said tube network and means to admit a controlled supply of a pressurized combustible gas to said heating unit at a controlled rate thereby to support combustion in said heating unit wherein the rate at which said gas is admitted to said heating unit is controlled by means responsive to the heating requirements in said unit.

5. In combination, a divers underwater suit including a network of interconnected tubing embedded in said suit and a heating unit adapted to heat a heat-conducting fluid and circulate said fluid through said tube network, said heating unit including a housing and an enclosed burner portion, said burner portion being spaced from a wall of said housing thereby defining a fluid heating cavity therein 4 whereby fluid to be warmed is circulated to said cavity to be warmed by said burner portion and thence through said tube network and means to admit a controlled supply of a pressurized combustible gas to said heating unit at a controlled rate thereby to support combustion in said heating unit and means interconnecting said heating unit to a supply of oxygen thereby to admit a mixture of said combustible gas and oxygen to said heating unit to support combustion therein.

6. In a diving suit, an interconnected tube network integral with said suit, said tube network being constructed so as to encircle said suit and including a fluid entry point and a fluid exit point, heating means operably associated with said suit including means to heat a heat-conducting fluid therein, said heating means includes a heating unit enclosed within an infrared, transparent member, a housing spaced from said member defining a fluid receiving cavity therein, whereby said fluid to be heated is circulated through said cavity to be heated by infrared radiation from said heating unit, and means to circulate said heated fluid in said tube network whereby said heated fluid is passed through said fluid entry point through said tube network and thence through said fluid exit point.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,153,720 10/ 1964 Petronio et a1. 126-204UX 2,755,792 7/ 1956 Van Hook 126-210 3,391,686 7/1968 Wiswell, Jr. 126-204 3,402,708 9/1968 Grega 126-204 3,406,678 10/ 1968 Hanks 126-208 3,450,127 6/1969 Harwood, Jr. 126-204 CHARLES I. MYHRE, Primary Examiner 

